DISCUSSION: Defining Our Field - what is 'classical music' to us, why are we involved and what can we learn from our differences? Read John Dante Prevedini's essay, watch the panel discussion and make your own comments.
VIDEO PODCAST: Discussion about Bernard Haitink (1929-2021), Salzburg, Roger Doyle's Finnegans Wake Project, the English Symphony Orchestra, the Chopin Competition Warsaw, Los Angeles Opera and other subjects.
Irish harpist, oboist, horn and keyboard player Derek Bell was born in Belfast on 21 October 1935. He studied at London's Royal College of Music (where he received the Manns Prize), and also with Leon Goossens.
Before joining the Irish band 'The Chieftains' in 1972 he played in orchestras in England, Hungary, Ireland, Russia and the USA, and was Professor of Harp at the Academy of Music in Belfast.
Jennifer Paull has spoken of Bell's generosity, flying at his own expense from China to play in her ensemble, and Kevin Conneff, Martin Fay, Seán Keane, Matt Molloy, Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy (the remaining members of The Chieftains) commented in a joint statement that his passing (in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, aged sixty-six, on 17 October 2002) 'leaves a silence that will never be filled'.